The OECD’s Regional Policy Network on Education and Skills aims to foster knowledge exchange in support of national growth and regional integration. The Network encourages a whole-of-government approach to formulating and implementing sound skills policies. It draws on the growing participation by Southeast Asian countries in the OECD’s education surveys and local job creation policy reviews, which provide valuable comparative data and analysis that can help countries in the region build more efficient and effective employment and skills systems.

1. Session III:
Improving transitions for youth to
further education, training and
employment
Anil Verma, Ph.D.
Professor
Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources &
and
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
October 2015

2. Southeast Asia
• Youth make up about 19% of the region’s
total population.
• Over 60% of the world’s youth live in Asia-
Pacific. This translates into more than 750
million young women and men aged 15-24
years.

3. Progress
• Significant strides made in educational
attainment. The region is on track to meet
MDG 2 on universal primary education.
• Net enrolment in secondary education
steadily increasing: now 64.1%, slightly
above the world average of 62.5%.

4. Challenges Ahead
• Transition to the labour market remains a
major challenge; youth unemployment
more than double the rate of the total
working age population.
• The proportion of adolescent and youth
migrants in the total international migrant
population is 19% in Southeast Asia, most
of them are women.

5. Gender
• Gender inequalities have been reduced at
all education levels, primary, secondary
and tertiary, in most countries.
• Young women, however, are
underrepresented in the labour market,
and are an untapped resource for future
economic growth.

6. From World Employment & Social Outlook, ILO, 2015

7. Southeast Asia:
The Employment Picture and Challenges
• Unemployment is relatively low compared
to some other regions of the world
• Recovery from the financial crisis of 2009
has been slow
• Youth unemployment is high relatively to
the main labour force

9. 9

10. 1
0

11. 1
1

12. for Youth: Southeast Asia

13. Skill gaps,
shortages
High skill
equilibrium
Low skill
equilibrium
Skills
surplus
Demand for High Skills
SupplyofHighSkills

14. Supply-side Approaches
Boost post-secondary enrollments
Incentives for apprenticeships
Incentives for training
Target key groups: youth, women,
minorities
Bridging programs

15. Role of Universities & Colleges
• Niagara College as an Exemplar
– Programs pertinent to local industry:
viniculture, tourism & hospitality
– Local labour market surveys
– Internships
– Research Projects
– Contract research with industry

16. Not just supply, also demand..

17. First Theorem of the Skilled Jobs Economy
Utilization of enhanced skills depends
largely on a demand for enhanced
skills
Demand for enhanced skills depends
on innovation and creativity at the
workplace
Workplaces vested in the status
quo do not contribute to demand for
enhanced skills
A culture of innovation creates a
steady demand for enhanced skills

18. Specific
skills &
knowledge
Competing
Locally
High
Quality
Unique
Products
Responsive
& Flexible

19. Role of Industry Networks (Non-profits)
Diffuse
Innovations
Demonstrate
2
Train
3
Support
4
Legitimate
1

20. Policy Proposal: Audit & Benchmarking for
Educational & Training Institutions
• Periodic curriculum review
– Self-study
– External review
• Joint boards with industry
• Local labour market surveys
• Apprenticeships
• Fast-track approval of new & modified
programs